A decade of uneven progress toward SDG1 no poverty in the European Union

Abstract This article deals with the progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG1) “No Poverty” in the member states of the European Union (EU) from 2015 to 2024. The study is divided into three main phases: the initial implementation period (2015–2019), the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–2021), and the post-pandemic period marked by rising inflation (2022–2024). Using cluster analysis, we identify groups of countries with similar developments in poverty reduction and the fulfilment of SDG1. This approach allows us to compare individual countries and highlight emerging disparities among them. The results show that while some states achieved stable progress, other countries experienced stagnation or even regression, particularly during periods of crisis. The findings underscore the need for more targeted policies and stronger coordination at the EU level to ensure more uniform progress in the fight against poverty. This study contributes to the current scientific discourse on SDG monitoring by offering a long-term, data-driven analysis of trends within the EU.